Geodesic - Resonance

Resonance is a 16 Track album (12 on the digital release) of songs from the 'Geodesic' and the forth coming 'Light Behind The Light' albums reworked orchestrally. Including an exclusive song, and four bonus electronic versions.

This is a review where I believe a fair bit of background is required so as to inform of the intentions of the musicians. So for those of us to whom 'Geodesic' is new, it is a breakaway project by Zoe & Oni Sakti of 'Phantoms of the SS'. In their own words, "adding more structure to the elements used in the Phantoms project and incorporating made sounds, elements and samples into their work. Combining analog and digital techniques Geodesic exists somewhere in the realms between the Dark-Wave, Cold-Wave, Experimental, Neo-Classical, Noise, Industrial, Ambient, and Soundtrack Music. Both members of Geodesic have been classically trained, but each brings a different sound and song writing technique to the group".

The intro track 'Overture', is dramatic, the constant drumbeat reminds me of many marches, banners are unfurling and flying in the breeze, and I am sure even a that this point it serves exactly as an overture should as the instrumental introduction played at the head of a programme or as an indication or warning of a future occurrence; an omen; a presage. Which it is we we will find out?

The curtain rises to 'Deus Ex Machina (Orchestral Version)', a neo-classical/darkwave track. This has angelic sounding female vocals which in my own interpretation are introducing a new character, maybe a goddess in the fashion of 'Euripides', who will save the day.

We continue with the strangely named 'Orchestral Sheep'. More Neoclassical/Dark Wave making use of the formal styles associated with orchestral music, this time with a hint of 'Noise' added.

'Hybrid Fruit (Orchestral Version with vocals by Protea)', has a great start giving the feeling that we have now started to move forward. But, then we stall, I so want this to be about a battle but I get the feeling its meant more to be about the fact that mankind may be good at creating complex tools, inventing machines, erecting global communication networks, and generally manhandling anything the world can throw at us, but we seem to trip up when we try to circumvent nature. Hence the title, 'Hybrid Fruit'. The vocals of Protea add a lot of mystery to the track.

With 'Replicant (Orchestral Version)', we no doubt continue with the orchestral genetic engineering. This time maybe we are creating an exact replica of a particular human being. So far we have cloned sheep, we have carried out hybridization of fruit, but now we have bigger things to be concerned with.

Let your imagination go and, 'The Flight Of Eurydice', tells the story of Eurydice. A descent to the 'Underworld'. This also has a more 'industrial' sound than the previous tracks, and I was quite happy to descend into the underworld with her, while being carried away by the fantastic drums.

'Calculate (Orchestral Version)' again brings back the angelic vocals. I can only guess this is about calculating geodesic distances? Anyway it?s easy to listen too, and this is a complex piece of work, but I am sad to get a little lost this far in. 'Dream Song' continues the Eurydice theme well. My own interpretation is that it is Eurydice's dream, giving feeling of love, loss and the pleasures and pains of memory.

Falling Down (Orchestral Version) with once more angelic vocals. I imagine again Eurydice and her lover Orpheus who could make nature do marvelous but unnatural things. This ties the whole story together for me. I may be completely wrong but a lot of the enjoyment has come from trying to piece this work all together. Orpheus had an entourage of sex-crazed witches called maenads who danced orgies in wild places, tearing live animals apart and divining with snakes. This is the 'fall of Orpheus' his personal story. The angelic voice has been that of Persephone?

We return rightly to 'Deus Ex Machina' (Instrumental Orchestral Version). This time without the vocals of 'Persephone'. Telling us mankind?s seemingly unsolvable problem will be suddenly solved with the unexpected intervention of a goddess. In my own case 'Persephone', the 'vegetation goddess' and 'queen of the underworld'.

'Finale: Dissonance' I prefer to think of in terms of 'Cognitive dissonance', as the album attempts to, and succeeds in causing discomfort at least in places, in terms of ideas , beliefs, values and emotional reactions. What you get from this album will depend on what you are willing to put in, in these same terms.

The album is completed by four bonus electronic versions. Most notable are the excellent versions of 'Falling Down' and 'Dream Song'.

Conclusion:
The 'overture' very well serves as an omen and presage to what was to come. If you can sit, close your eyes and let your imagination run free then this is for you. Probably a limited audience, not something I would normally listen to, and a real challenge to review. But if my own situation is anything to go by, then there are hordes of others who would also enjoy this work. If I have any criticisms, the angelic vocals for me are not quite angelic sounding enough, but they do the job and have the correct effect. Also what I described as 'noise' on the "Orchestral Sheep' track seemed out of place. Finally to repeat myself, "What you get from this album will depend on what you are willing to put in". Apr 24 2012